The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-08-13

gray head reverently and rhafes tho cold,
thin hands.
II is all he can do, but he IL painfully con-
scious how little 1t is and the tears Ill his
Kindly honest eyes as he thinks Of the lonely
crl watching for tho stern old man that hr
knows she loves.
BY aud by the closed eyes open and look
into RaphS face, and the farmer tries 10
speak.
"Where is II and where's Marjoryi seed
her PLAIN MS the day we wsre wed, and she's
been gone this sixteen years.
'"You tainted, that is all, answers the lad,
gently. "Now you are better I'll run and
fetch help 10 carry you home. I'll not be
long gone, promise you"
But old Aaron had sunk back into semi.
consciousness, and for while Ralph fails TO
rouse him.
Apparently, however, his voice reaches the
old mans ears and sounds familiar, for by
and by brokenly he begins again 10 speak, ~
low that only by stopping close can the
anxious listener hear his words aud catch
their meaning,
"Ay, ay, it's Ralph-hm as the lassle said
she loved-and I'll never see her bonny face
again, and we PARTED with never a word o
kindness Tell her | forgive her, and-y---
and oh, lad, make her happy If ye can"
Then the old mans mead falls back on tho
strong young arm that raises it, and all Is
still.
! Too well does Ralph know the meaning OF
that terrible silence.
Death has won another victory.
Yet another task lies before the young and
worsted combatant, and with white and
trembling lips and aching heart he sets out
TO bear 70 her he loves the know ledge Of her
loss.
/ Youth grieves and youth deSpairS, but
youth loves; and where love fingers LIES
greatest sorrows can be horne. and the deep
est, sorest wounds will heal.
/ Winter passed and Maggy learnt again to
wear her winSome smile, though the old
lay in the churchyard on the hill.
She still stayed at the lonely farm, with
only hind 10 help her in its management;
but the house was to have "A new master ere
the summer came again
| IL was carly SpgiHgtiue now, and the grass
was growing green. ana the Tiny garden waS
sweet with primroscs and wAlltlowers, while
about the porch crept the sweet scented jos.
samne and buddnS brier
There Maggy loitered with her lover in the
golden twilight and n snow white dove flew
crcling round their heads, or perched amid
the opening leaves in the porch.
The strange fair vsitant of that stormy
night still fingered, and Mnggy had grown 10
love the creature with rare deep tenderness.
Perhaps the loneliness ma lie her moro imagi
native, more dreamy, for sweet poetic
fancy had taken possession Of I'll" girls mind
The bird had flown to her breast at the
very hour her fathers soul had taken flight, |
and to her loving, half rcmorSeful heart it
seemed ms though his spirit had come in this !
gentle guiSe to tell her of his forgiveness and
bis love.
The long rays of the setting sun
slanted across The valley aud touched |
with light here and there the distant
hills AMI glnted upon the churchyard where
slept the last of her kindred, and the girl, |
eyes followed them and filled with tears.
"Tell mo once more what he said at the
very, very end, Ralph, dear" she whispered |
and the had repeated the old mans dying |
words very softly as he drew his sweetheart |
closer aud kissed her tenderly.
She smiled, though the tears still trickled |
down her cheeks "And yon rsked your life |
for his, my darling, and he has sent his bless.
ing To think it should have come just in
the very hour he dedl' she said and she held |
ont her finger for the gentle dove to come To, |
and it nestled to her heart.
Ralph watched her reverently. 1t was |
pretty fancy, hut he did not credit it himself; |
only, it pleased her, and he was not going to
be the one to say a word against what she |
found comfort inland folks did say there
was something queer about pigeons. 1t was
we'll known a white one flying about n strange
house meant death, and maybe after all this
one was II kind Of godsend TO the laSsie's sore
and lonely heart
Whether there was anything in Maggy's |
fancy or not, one more strange thing hap
peued.
happy bridal morn she passed the place where
her father lay.
The sunlight fell on the newly set up grave
stone that marked the place, and tinged with
gold the feathers of IA snowy dove that rested
there. 1t vanished even as she gazed, and
never more in answer to her loving call came
Maggy's dear and snow white bird
Whence it came and whittier it went she
never knew, but to her happy faith there was
sent messenger, she held, and why should it
have fingered when its work was done?
Foolish her trust might he, hut wiser ones
may envy il when their loved ones go into
the silent land, aud when to them no messen-
ger Of peace brings tidings of forgiveness and
Of hope, and envying Maggy may dream that
in the girlish fancy was perchance "A germ
of truth Isabella Weddle in Belpravis